Releasing device for livestock



Jan. 26 1926. 1,570,889

HQT. GREAfHoUsE RELEASING DEVICE FOR LIVE s'i'ox.

' Filed April 30, 1925 z shun-Shoot 1 HemmTGmtbayx.

H. 'T. GREATHOUSE RELEASING DEVICE FOR LIVE STOCK Filed April 30. 1925 2 Shoots-Shoot 2 QfA-Qe 7 W fi 1 L 9 M m, 4v 5 1 may bereailil i installed by persons .a .Sliding 'nperating weight holder;

Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES ATENT "OFFICE;

i RELEASING DEVICE FOR LIVESTOCK.

Application filed April 30, 1925. serial in. 27,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN T. GREAT- ieroUsE, a citizen of the United States, resldin at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and tate ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releasing Devices for Livestock, of which the followin is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings. I This invent-ion relates to releasing devices for live stock and more particularly to a device of this' character for automatically releasing live stock from an inclosure' inevent of fire. I v

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this'character' having means set the like for simultaneously opening the doors of the inclosure and releasing the ani-' mar er animals contained within the inclosize so s to permit them to leave by the opened doors. V I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be manually operated whenever this is desired and which is very readily reset.

A further object of the invention is the preview of a device of this character which having but slight mechanical skill, thus permitting direct purchase of such devices by dairymen, fa riners and the like and their installation Without the necessity of hiring a skilled "mechanic.

7 These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying olrawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of -my invention and wherein Figure .1 is a sectional view partially diagrammatic showing stock releasing mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention; a

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic horizontal sec tion through a building tion in accordance with my invention;

Figure 3 is a view showing the inner arrangement of a stall room door Figure 4: is an outer elevation of the stall room door;

Figure 5 is a detail of the latching mechanism of doors of this character;

Figure 6 is a detailed view of a halter rope holder; gr d Figure 7 a detailed front elevation of in operation by a fusible link' or,

having an installa Referring now'more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a buildinghaving a main sliding door 11 and an interiorly arranged stall room 12 havdoor 13. Thestall rooms 12 mg a swinging maybe provided in 7 being hereinillustrated. The stall door 13 should swing'outwardly and is provided with a spring 14 moving the same to the open position when released. This stall door is fitted with an eye OI Gy',S' adjacent its free'fled e. In the present instance, two eyes are s own,-"designated at 15 and 16, and hereinafter referred to as the upper and lower eyes. Through the wall 17 of the stall adjacent the door frame and in vertical alignment with the eyes 15 and 16, openings 18 and 19 are formed. Through'each of these openings, an arm 20 is directed,-the up er arm having pivoted to its outer end a asp 21 for engagement with the upper eye in a manner permitting the attachment thereto ofa padlock22-andto the lower arm is pivoted a hook 23 for engagement with the lower eye. If desired, two hooks or two hasps may be substituted instead of one hook and the hasp as shown.-

Upon'theinterior of the stall wall above the door is pivoted a bell crank lever 24 having one arm thereof horizontally directed and theotherarm vertically'directed. To the horizontally directed arm is pivoted the upper end of a vertically extending link 25. Aligning with each 1 opening 18 and 19, the inner face of the stall wall has secured thereto a U-shaped guide element 26 having vertically aligned apertures 27 formed in the arms 28ethereofs- Above each of these brackets, the link has a horizontal eX- tension 29 terminating in a downwardly extending pin 30 directedthrough the open ings 27. The inner end of each arm 20 has formed thereinan opening 31 through which this pin may, extend so that the pins serve to lock the arms 1n position through the wall and accordingly to prevent, opening of the doors while. the hooks or padlocks are-engaged therewith.

Itwill be obvious that if the bell crank lever 24 .is rocked on itspivot, the link 25 will be elevated andin such elevation will withdraw its pins 30 from the arms 20, freeing these arms and permitting the door to be opened under the influence of the spring 14. In order that these arms may I not tied d i g t e rmies the Me any desired number, one

the openings 18, 19, with which they are directed may be elongated through slots opening through the edge of the door frame, as more clearly shown in Figure 3. On the interior of the stall, a bracket 32 affording spaced arms 33 is secured. These arms have aligned openings for the reception of a pin 34. This pin is connected to they horizontal arm of a bell crank lever 35 similar to the bell crank lever 24 and as will hereinafter be more fully explained, these bell crank levers will be simultaneously operated. This pin will serve as a means for retaining be tween the arms the end of a halter rope or tether to which the animal confined within the stall is fastened and as the levers 24, 35, are simultaneously operated, the animal will be released from its tether. At the same time, the door is released and permitted to open.

Secured to the sliding door 11,. as at 36, is one end of a cable or similar flexible element 37. This cable is trained-over a pulley 38 secured to the building wall. To the end of this cable is secured a weight" 39'having a: reduced upper end 4O, the upper extremity of which provides means for attaching the cable and the lower portion of which has formed therethrough an opening 41. A

bracket 42 is secured tothe wall, this bracket embodying spaced arms 43 having aligned o-penings'44- receiving a pin 45. 7 As will be hereinafter more fully set forth, the pin 45 is withdrawn from its engagement with the weight and arms simultaneously with the withdrawal of the pins 30 and 34 so that both the stall door and main door of the inclosure are opened and the-animal released at a single operation. The weight 39 will, of course, be of sufficient weight to cause the opening ofthe door- 11. Pivoted at any suitable point upon the structure 10 is a horizontally disposed shaft 46 having. sim ilarly directed angular arms 47 formed upon theends thereof.

Rigidly secured to this shaft intermediate the ends thereof is an operating arm 48 hav ing a hand operating pull cord 49 secured to the free end thereof. Rotatably mounted upon the rod 46, as at 50, is one end of. a second operating arm 51, and is preferably of greater lengththan thearm 48 and provided intermediateits ends with a hook 52 which engages the arm. 48 when'the arm 51 is shifted to cause anv operation thereof.

Pivotally mounted upon the closure isa bent lever 53, one end: of which: is swingable into the path oft'he free end 55'of the second operating arm 51 tosupport the same.

Means for holding the lever 53 in fixed position comprises a cable 56 directed through an eye- 57 in the opposite end of the lever and. p'ass'edi about the inclosure: at various points where it wilibemost likely thereof causing operation of the arm 48 and I rotation of the rod 46.

It will be noted that the arm 48 may be operated independently of the arm 51, thus permitting of rotation of the rod 46. This rod 46 has associated with the arms 47 thereof cables 60 and 61, the cable 60 being directed through eyes provided on the vertical arms of the bell crank levers 24, 35, and having at its free end a tension spring 62 attached to the wall so that the cable 60 is drawn in a direction tending to move the arm 47 to its normal position. This cable, as the arm 47 to which it is attached is rotated upon operation of either of the arms 48 or 51, moves'in the direction of the arrow of F igure 1. Clamps 63 are secured to the cable of such size that they cannot pass through the eyes of the arms so that as the cable is drawn longitudinally under the influence of the arm, these clamps come into engagement with the bell crank lever arms and cause the same to be operated to effect the release above described. The second arm 47 has secured thereto a cable 64 which is likewise spring tensioned, as at 65, and has mounted thereon a ring 66 engaged by a clamp 67 similar to the clamp 63. cured thereto a cable or link 68, the opposite end of which is connected with the pin 45 to withdraw the same when the rod 46 is actuated.

iattention is directed to the fact that additional arms 47 for the rod 46 might be applied and that, if desired, a further pull cable 69 may be secured to. the operating arm 48. Attention is further directed to the fact that the springs tend to return the shaft or rod 46 to its normal position and that accordingly when the mechanism is actu ted through the operating arm 48, it will return to its normal position after the arm released, thus permitting the doors to be in locked and the stock to be secured within their stalls. Obviously, the halter rope holders, such indicated at 32, may be applied wherever this is found desirable anda number of cables 60, 61 and 69 tended to accommodate all of the doors and fastenings of the stable.

It will be noted that when the mechanism is actuated under the influence of the arm 51, this mechanism cannot be reset until the burned-out fusible link 58 has been restored, thus assuring that thQ mechanism is re- This. ring has seturned to workable order. Since the struc, lure herembefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except for the w hi1 operated lever and a handoperated ill) levei for operating saidconnecting means independently of movement of the weight operated lever. V

i In a'releasing device for live stock and thelike, a wall supported bracket including spaced arms, a lever pivoted ad acent1the' bracket, pin supported from the lever and directed through openings formed in the arm s, a restraining device, said pin forming a means for retaining the restraining device in restraining position, means for shiftingthe lever to withdraw the pin and release the restraining device for movement, includ ng a pivoted shaft, an arm secured to said shaft, a secondv arm loosely mounted on the shaft, a weight for operating said second a hook carried by the second arm for engagement with the first named arm during its operation under the influence of vveng'ht tov thereby operate the second arm and the s raining the second arm against operation and an operative connection between the lever and the shaft.

3. In a releasing device for live stock, a plurality of restraining devices for the live stock, separate means for retaining each restraining device in its restraining position oinprising a bracket including spaced arms having aligned openings and a pin directed through the openings of the arms of each bracket and engaging the restraining device to prevent movement thereof to the releasing position, a weight operated lever, fusible link restraining means for the weight operated lever, a hand operated lever and connections between all of said pins and each of said levers whereby the operation of either of the levers causes withdrawal of s-id pins and the hand operated lever may l3, operated to withdraw said pins independently of movement of the weight operated lever, the connection between the hand operated lever and the pins including a spring restoring the hand operated lever to normal shaft, means including a fusible link re associated with said connectv ively moving the same,

position when released after an operation to thereby permit reinstallation of the pins. 4. Ina releasing device for live stock, an iR-OlOSLllG including a plurality of restraining devices for preventing'exit of the ani inals, separate means for retaining each restraining device in its restraining position, a connection between all of said means for simultaneously releasing the same, a weight operated lever associated with said connecting means for operatively moving the same, fusible link restraining means for the weight operated lever and a hand operated lever for operating said connecting means independently of movement of the weight operated lever, the connection between said means and the hand operated lever including a spring restoring the hand operated lever to normal position after an operationthereof andthe connection to a position permitting return of sa d retaining means to the reta1ning position, y

Y In releasing means for live stock and in combination with a wall having an exit,

closure for the exit opening in one direction, a spring for moving the "closure to the open position, a pin loosely directed through the wall that side thereof at which th'eyclosuie opens, a pivoted hasp carried by the pin at the outer end thereof for engagement with the door for maintaining the same in closed position, a pair of arms car- .led by the wall at the opposite s de thereof and between which the inner end of the pin projects, a securing element directed through said arms and pin at the inner face of the wall to prevent withdrawal of the pin and means for withdrawing said securing element, y

6. ln releasing means for live stock and in combination with a wall having an exit,

a closure for the exit opening in one direction, a spring for moving the closure to the open position, a pin loosely directed through the \'all from that side thereof at which the closure opens, a pivoted hasp carried by the pin at the outer end thereof for engagement with the door for maintaining the same in closed position, a pair of arms carried by the wall at the opposite side thereof and between which the inner end of the pin projects, a securing element directed through said arms and pin at the inner face of the "all to prevent withdrawal of the pin and means for withdrawing said securing element including a hand operated lever connected with the pin to withdraw the same, a weight operated lever associated with the hand operated lever and engaging the hand operated lever when operating under the influence of its weight to operate the hand on erated lever and a fusible link restraining device for the weight operated lever 7. In releasing means for live stock and in combination with a wall having an exit, a closure for the exit opening in one direction, a spring for moving-the closure to the open position, a pin loosely directed through the-wall from that side thereof at which the closure opens, a pivoted hasp carried by the pin at the outer end thereof for engagement with the door for n laintaining the same in closed position, a pair of arms carried by the wall at the opposite side thereof and between which the inner end of the pin projects. a securing element directed through said arms and pin at the inner face of the wall to prevent withdrawal of the pin, means tor withdrawing said securing element including a hand operated lever connected with the pin to withdraw the same, a weight operated lever associated with the hand operated lever and engaging'the hand operated lever when operating under the influence of its weight tovoperate the hand operated lever and a fusible link restraining device for the weight operated lever, and means restoring the hand operated lever and its connection with the securing element to normal position when the hand operated lever is released to thereby permit reinstallation of the securing element.

8. In releasing means for live stock and in combination with a wall having an exit, a closure for the exit opening in one direc tion, a spring for moving the closure to the open position, a pin loosely directed through the wall from that side thereof at which the closure opens, a pivoted hasp carried by the pin at the outer end thereof for engagement with the door for maintaining the same in closed position, a pair of arms carried by the wall at the opposite side thereof and between which the inner end of the pin projects, a securing element directed through said arms and pin atthe inner face of the wall to prevent withdrawal of the pin, means for withdrawing said securing element including a hand operated lever connected with the pin to withdraw the same, a weight operated-lever associated with the hand operated lever and engaging the hand operated lever when operating under the influence of its weight to operate the hand operatedlever and a fusible link restraining device for the weight operated lever, and means restoring the hand operated lever and its connection with the securing element to normal position when the hand operated lever is released to thereby permit reinstallationof the; securing element, the weight operated lever being sufficient to permit the action of the last named means and prevent return of the connection and hand operated'lever totheir normal position until the fusible link restraining device has been restored.

9. In a releasing device for livestock and the like, a restraining device, a retaining element for the restraining device including a movable pin means, for withdraw ing said pin to release the restraining device including a hand operated lever, an operative; connection betweenthe hand operated lever and the pin fordrawingthe pin upon movement of the leveix a weight operated leverha-vi-ng a portion engaging the hand operated lever to operate the same when the weight operated lever operates under the influence of its weight and means including a fusible link for restraining the weight operated lever from movement.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto afiiX my signature.

HERMAN T. GREATHOUSE. 

